Fuel control means for ranges



S p 1 w. c. LINDEMANN ET AL FUEL CONTROL MEANS FOR RANGES 3 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed March 13, 1931 W l c. INVENTORS llliiivwrllfimw-vn i W @is.

W I). W BYdT/LATToRNEY w. c. LINDEMANN El AL 1,972,627

FUEL CONTROL MEANS FOR RANGES Filed March 13, 1931 3 Sheets-Shet 2 Sept;4, 1934.

INVENTORS BYdwaATToRNEY p 1934- w. c. LXNDEMANN ET AL 1,972,627

. FUEL CONTROL MEANS FOR RANGES Filed March 13, 1931 3 Sheets-Shet sINVENTORS W 27 W BYlfi-EOLATTORNEY Patented Sept. 4, 1934 FUEL CONTROLMEANS FOR RANGES Walter C. Lindemann and Adolph T. Schmidt, Milwaukee,Wis., assignors to A. J. Lindemann & Hoverson Company, Milwaukee, Wis.,a cor- Duration 01' Wisconsin Application March 13,

5Claims.

The present improvements relate in general, to cooking ranges and thelike, and more particularly to closed top ranges and means forcontrolling access of fuel to the heating elements thereof.

A movable top range is described and claimed in the copendingapplication of Lindemann, et al.-, Serial No. 502,043, filed December13, 1930, and the present invention is in the nature of an improvementthereon. A primary object, among others, of the improvements is toprovide a safety device operable in response to the movements of thecover of the range, whereby access of the fuel to the heating elementsis prevented, so long as the cover is closed thereover.

A further object is to provide means in the fuel conduit, operable bythe movable cover of the range for controlling the passage of fueltherethrough.

Other objects and advantages of the improvements will be apparent tothose skilled in the art, upon reference to the accompanyingspecification and drawings, in which Fig. l is a side elevation withparts in section of one form of the improvements, showing the valveclosed;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with certain parts omitted, showingthe valve open;

Figs. 3 to 5 are fragmentary views illustrating modified forms. Whilethe embodiments disclosed, illustrate the improvements in theirapplication to ranges employing gaseous fuel, it is understood that theprinciple is applicable to ranges using electricity or other media forcooking or heating purposes. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the burner box10 of the range, has the usual open top supporting a grid, beneath whichare disposed the conventional burners 11 and 12. A movable closure forcovering the burner box and burners may be of any desired type, thatillustrated being of the character set forth in the aforementionedcopending application. This closure comprises the cover 13 hinged to arm14 which in turn is pivoted at 15 to the sides of the burner box.Accordingly, the cover may be moved from closed position (Fig. 5) toopen position (Fig. 2) and vice versa, so as to conceal or expose theburners as desired.

When the burners are not in use, the cover 1?- may be closed, thuspresenting a neat appearance to the range as well as serving as a tableor the like. Upon opening the cover, the burners maybe lighted and usedfor cooking purposes. Should the cover be closed over the burners while1931, Serial No. 522,226

they are still lighted, the disastrous consequences may well be imaginedand the present improvements have therefore been devised to prevent sucha possibility.

The main fuel supply pipe 16 conveys fuel to I the manifold 17 extendingalong the front of the burner box, whence the fuel reaches the burnersthrough conduits 18, only one of which is shown in Fig. 1. The flow offuel from the manifold to each burner is controlled by individualvalves, only one of which is shown at 19. This valve and the companionvalves for each burner may be operated by a handle or knob 20 (Fig. 5)exposed along the front face of the range. Accordingly, in priorstructures, the flow of fuel is controlled only by such valves, so thatit is possible to close the cover over the burner box and inadvertentlyleave one or more valves open and the burners lighted.

In the present construction, the fuel supply conduit 16 is provided witha valve 21, normally held closed on seat 22 by spring 23. A valve stem24, connected tothe valve, is pivotally connected to one end of bellcrank lever 25, which is pivoted on bracket 26. The other end of lever25 carries an actuating arm 27 which extends rearwardly and has an end28 in the path of travel of movable cover 13.

It will be apparent, upon inspection of Fig. 1, that the valve 21 willremain closed, thus cutting off the supply of fuel, so long as the cover13 is closed or in any position short of complete open position.However, when said cover is moved to open position, as seen in Fig. 2,it will engage arm 2'7, force it inwardly, thereby opening the valve 21in conduit 16, and permitting access of fuel to the burners under thecontrol of valve 19. The weight of cover 13, in the position illustratedin Fig. 2, serves to hold valve 21 open against the energy of spring 23,so that the burners may be used at will. Withdrawal of the cover fromengagement witharm 27, causes valve 21 to close immediately, therebyshutting off the fuel supply to the manifold and burners, so that thelatter will be extinguished, whether 'valves 19 100 are left open ornot. It is notable that the operation of valve 21 takes place during thefinal movement of the cover in opening direction and during the initialmovement of same in closing direction. Accordingly, the operator isassured 1 5 that the fuel will be turned oil when the cover 13 is closedand in fact shortly after its initial travel in closing direction.

In Fig. 3, the shut off valve 30 is disposed in a slightly differentlocation in conduit 16. The 110 valve, normally held closed by spring31, has a plunger 32 extending into the path of travel of the cover 13.When the cover approaches its complete open position, it engages theplunger and moves valve 30 from its seat. The weight of the cover inopen position, as illustrated in Fig. 3, maintains the valve in openposition thereby permitting the flow of fuel to conduit 16. However,upon initial movement of cover 13 in closing direction, valve 30 closes,thereby insuring that the burners will receive no fuel when, the coveris disposed thereover.

In Fig. 4, the fuel supply line 16 is provided with a rotary plug valve35, which is actuated by cover 13 through arm 14 which in turn isoperatively connected to the valve. Opening and closing of the cover 13causes corresponding movements of valve 35. Accordingly, the positivemovement of the valve by the cover likewise insures closure of thesupply line 16 when the cover is closed or approaching such position.

In Fig. 5, the valve 40 has a plunger 41 extending upwardly above theopen tc of the burner box 10, where it is engaged by the cover 13 in thefinal closing movement thereof, whereby the valve is depressed and heldin closed position by the cover. open position, the valve will be openedby spring actuated stem 42, permitting access of fuel to the burners.

It is evident from the disclosed embodiments that 'various types ofvalves may be employed, that they may be disposed at various locationsin the fuel supply line and that various means may be provided forcausing the valves to be responsive to the movements of the cover.

In ranges of the type disclosed, where the burners are covered at times,it is essential that a safe and foolproof construction be provided sincethere might be considerable danger if the flames were left burning andthe cover inadverfor use in electric ranges wherein a suitable switch orother'circuit maker and breaker may be conveniently disposed in the lineconveying cur- "rent to the burners. The operation of such switch by themovable cover of the range for establishing pr'interrupting the flow ofelectricity, may be accomplished in any desired manner.

, Various ,other modifications within the scope of thepresentimprovements/will'be apparent to those skilled in the art and may bemade without departingfrom the scope and purview of the m- Upon movementof the cover to vertical position beside the burner, a self closingvalve for controlling fuel to said burner, and actuating means separatefrom said cover for opening said valve and maintaining it open, saidactuating means being disposed in the path of travel of said cover andoperable by the weight of said cover only whenit is at rest in verticalposition.

, 2. A cooking stove comprising a burner, a burner box encompassing saidburner, a removable cover releasably secured over said box. a fuelsupply conduit for said burner, a spring closedvalve in said conduit, anarm operatively connected to said valve for opening same in oppositionto said spring, said am being positioned in the path of travel, inopening direction, of a portion of said cover.

3. A cooking stove comprising a burner, means defining a compartmentsubstantially enclosing said burner, a hinged cover for saidcompartment,

a conduit connected to said burner for supplying fuel thereto, mechanismfor moving said valve in one direction, a rigid member operativelyconnected to said valve for moving same in an opposite direction, saidmember being .disposed in the path of travel of said cover during thefinal opening stage thereof.

4. A fuel control mechanism comprising a burner, a compartment forhousing saidburner, a cover for said compartment and burner, said coverbeing slidably associated with said compartment whereby it may be movedover said burner for closing said compartment or may be removedtherefrom and brought to rest in a position exposing said compartmentand burner, a conduit for supplying fuel to said burner, a normallyclosed valve controlling said conduit and means for opening said valveoperable by said cover only when it comes to rest in open position.

55A fuel control mechanism comprising a burner, a compartment forhousing said burner, a cover for said compartment and burner, said coverbeing pivotally connected with said com- .partment whereby it may beswung over said burner to repose over the top of said compartment andmay be withdrawn therefrom and brought to rest in an upstanding positionexposing said compartment and burner, a conduit for supplying fuel tosaid burner, a spring member maintaining said valve closed at all timessave during complete open position of said cover, an actuating memberattached to said valve for moving it in opposition to said springmember, said actuating member being in the path of travel of said coverand engageable by said cover in its final travel to upstanding openposition, said cover when fully open resting by gravity against saidactuating member and holding the valve open by the weight of the cover,and upon initial removal of which said spring member closes said valvematerially in advance of disposition of the cover WALTER c. ADOLPH '1'.scmvnn'r.

. over said burner.

